By Vancouver Sun |
Canada is a multicultural society. The majority of us are welcoming and accepting of new Canadians, no matter where they are from or what race they are. This positive attribute of Canadian society is universally appreciated by new arrivals and admired by people around the world. This is why the recent increase in hate crimes toward Asian-Canadians is a shock to all of us.
Some of my Chinese-Canadian friends are taking extra precautions when they are out in public, looking over their shoulders when they are walking alone on empty streets. Many Chinese-Canadian organizations are banding together to fight the rise in racism.
This is a shame. This is not the society we know and love.
COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, and, for a short period of time, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that it be called the China virus. On his order, the U.S. was the first G7 country to close its borders to travellers from China. For many people, especially those who already harbour anti-Chinese sentiments, a hateful perception was formed: The virus equals China, and Chinese individuals are virus carriers. For many who believe in that perception, Chinese people in China and Canadians of Chinese descent are one and the same.